SANTA FE, N.M. – There’s no denying state lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are committed to improving public safety in New Mexico. 

It’s arguably the number one issue for New Mexicans all over the state, and lawmakers are extremely close to getting a public safety package across the finish line.

The Senate Judiciary Committee spent several hours reviewing the House’s expansive public safety plan Wednesday.

“I have a couple of amendments that I want to go through,” said state Sen. Katy Duhigg. 

Before sending it off to the Senate floor.

“I personally believe it doesn’t go far enough, but I also believe we need something in place to move us in the right direction,” said state Sen. Ant Thornton. 

The package is a collection of six public safety bills including a massive plan to rework New Mexico’s criminal competency laws, and proposals banning gun conversion devices, reworking the state’s DWI blood testing laws and bills increasing the punishments for shooting threats, trafficking fentanyl and stealing vehicles.

“The bills that we included were ones that we had really thought about over the interim and during the session, and we vetted them,” said state Rep. Christine Chandler. 

That package will likely clear the Senate this week and will only need another House floor vote to reach the governor’s desk. But many Republican lawmakers believe it doesn’t go far enough.

Fortunately, there are still a lot of public safety bills on the table this year. That includes a proposal expanding New Mexico’s red flag law to law enforcement officers. That’s sitting on the House floor waiting for a vote, while a juvenile justice reform bill is just about to enter its first committee after weeks of pressure from Republican lawmakers.

“Let’s face it, this is the problem we’re having, not only in Albuquerque, but in rural districts across the state. We’ve got to get this juvenile crime under control,” said state Rep. Andrea Reeb. 

Democratic leaders agree, but argue that the bill needs a thorough debate.

“I think we need the time and the deliberative process to work on that bill,” said Chandler. 

Meanwhile, bills increasing the punishments for human trafficking, expanding New Mexico’s racketeering laws and the anti-hazing act are stuck at the starting line despite support from the governor’s office.

Legislative leaders say they do plan on addressing more public safety bills this session, but there are a lot of other issues they want to get to with only 30 days left to go.